asked the Minister for Fisheries whether he can state the number of farms which, in consequence of evictions during the past three years, are at present untenanted; the total acreage of these farms; and whether since there is an obvious loss to the State by reason of these lands and buildings being left derelict and thereby deteriorating, the Minister has any proposal to make for restoring the farms, or such of them as are in the hands of the Land Commission, to their original owners.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - RESTORATION OF UNTENANTED FARMS.
On the passing of the Land Act, 1923, tenants of holdings to which the Act applied ceased to be liable for rent, and accordingly there can have been no evictions of such tenants by landlords within the last three years. The Land Commission have taken up possession of 2 holdings for non-payment of Land Purchase Annuities, and will consider the best method of disposing of these holdings.
Is it not a fact that there have been more sales by the Land Commission in the last three years than in the previous ten of small farms? Does the Minister not think that the small farmers deserve better at their hands?
There certainly have been sales of holdings by third parties, shopkeepers and banks, for the non-payment of debts. The Land Commission have obviously no responsibility in these cases.